Evidence Shows That Mass Shooters Target “Gun-Free Zones”

According to an article by John Lott published in the National Review, there is overwhelming support for the fact that perpetrators of mass shootings go out of their way to find “soft” targets—that is, so-called “gun-free zones.” He says that for more than 50 years, “all but two public mass shootings in America have taken place where general citizens are banned from carrying guns.”

Lott even provides anecdotes of killers who noted that they decided against venues where they expected to encounter armed security. Yet despite all of the evidence, the foolish practice of banning guns in public spaces continues. It’s time to stop.

Florida Senate Committees Pass Pro-Gun Reform Measures

Three pro-gun bills were passed Tuesday by key Florida senate committees in Tallahassee. But they still face several legislative hurdles, and they need your support to ensure they get a fair hearing in the entire Florida statehouse.

The Higher Education Committee approved SB 68, which would allow Right-to-Carry permit holders to exercise that right on public college campuses. Meanwhile, the Criminal Justice Committee passed SB 300, which would allow Right-to-Carry permit holders to carry firearms in plain view, as well as SB 344, which would shift the burden of proof from crime victims to the state in “Stand Your Ground” cases where a victim was forced to defend him- or herself.

Use Your Power!

Don’t let the political elites deny you your right to defend yourself. Florida voters, please ask your senators to vote YES on SB 68, SB 300 and SB 344. You can find their contact informationhere.

Bloomberg Spends Big On Virginia Senate Seat

Republican Glen H. Sturtevant and Democrat Daniel A. Gecker have been scrambling to grab the open seat left by long-term Republican Sen. John Watkins, who announced he would not seek re-election last November. Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund plans to spend $700,000 in Virginia in an effort to change the polarity of the narrowly Republican-controlled Virginia Senate.

Capitalizing on past tragedies in the state, Everytown will be running ads targeting Sturtevant, the Republican nominee for the 10th Senate District. While many are noting the staggering size of Everytown’s ad buy, we are confident that Bloomberg’s billions are no match for the unified front of pro-gun Virginia voters. No amount of money changes the fact that anti-gun activists are outside the American mainstream.

Despite Anti-Gun Grandstanding, NRA Is Popular As Ever

Earlier this month, Hillary Clinton proclaimed, “It’s time the entire country stand up against the NRA.” While the mainstream media cheered its approval, the results of a recent Gallup poll suggest this isn’t likely to happen anytime soon.

From Oct. 7-11, 2015, Gallup surveyed more than 1,000 adults on their feelings about the NRA, and found a “solid majority” (58 percent) of Americans have an “overall favorable” opinion of NRA. This number, which has been rising steadily since December 2012, is only two percentage points below its all-time high. The poll also revealed that a record number indicated their opinion of NRA is “very favorable.”

Approval for NRA among conservatives was predictably high, at 77 percent. But a majority of moderates (56 percent) and even 30 percent of liberals shared these positive sentiments. Even more surprisingly, among those who do not own guns, those who view NRA favorably still maintain a seven-percentage-point edge (49-to-42).

Maine Background Check Initiative Gets Green Light

The Michael Bloomberg-funded group Moms Demand Action filed in August for a Maine initiative that would require background checks on anyone purchasing a gun from a private seller or non-licensed sellers. Last week, the Maine secretary of state accepted the application, which gives the group approval to begin collecting the 61,123 signatures necessary to add a voter referendum to the November 2016 ballot.

Like all of Bloomberg’s proposals, this effort will do nothing to deter criminals or stop crimes. It will only serve to make it more difficult for law-abiding citizens to obtain guns for protection. But it won’t move forward without a fight.

“Universal background checks are nothing more than a fancy way to get gun registration in the state of Maine,” says Shane Belanger of Gun Owners of Maine. “Bloomberg already failed to block Constitutional Carry, and now we’re going to send him home with another failure and a whole lot less money.”

Missouri Man Uses Handgun To Stop Attack In Home

When a crazed neighbor, armed with a knife, chased a Jefferson City, Mo., homeowner through his house trying to stab him, the resident was able to end the attack with his handgun.

The resident was in his home when 40-year-old Stuart Harold barged into the house with a knife and began yelling. When the resident hid under an air hockey table and begged for his life, Harold allegedly shoved the knife through the top of the table, breaking the blade. After Harold chased the homeowner into his bedroom, the resident grabbed his handgun from the dresser and held Harold at gunpoint until police arrived to make an arrest.

Court records show that Harold is charged with first-degree burglary and first-degree assault. The homeowner was uninjured in the attack.